2017 in Review: How SalesPad Gave Back This Year

2017 in Review: How SalesPad Gave Back This Year

2017 in Review: How SalesPad Gave Back This Year2017-12-272019-04-26https://www.salespad.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/salespad_mainlogo.pngSalesPadhttps://www.salespad.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/dsc_0086.jpg200px200px

Making a positive impact in our community is a big part of who we are at SalesPad, and it’s not just during the holiday season. We’re giving back all year round, whether it’s participating in a blood drive, collecting Christmas gifts for D.A. Blodgett or hosting coding workshops for adults and kids who want to learn more about technology careers.

We also know that making a positive impact in our community and the lives our employees is the best kind of business. Through our SalesPad Advocacy Network (SPAN), we bring the community and our employees together by focusing on causes that (1) support the growth and education of children, (2) encourage diversity and inclusion in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education and the STEM workforce, and (3) support the health and wellbeing of our employees and community.

This year, we volunteered several hours and raised more than 4,600 dollars for various community organizations that matter to our employees. From mentoring students to decorating lunch bags, our entire team has helped make a positive impact in our community over the last year.

As we reflect on 2017, we wanted to highlight some of the ways we’re plugging in to our local community and giving back:

D.A. Blodgett Christmas Wishes Program

The holidays are a special time where many families look forward to spending quality time together and sharing food and Christmas gifts. However, this time can be difficult for those separated from their loved ones, especially the hundreds of West Michigan children living in foster care. That’s why we partnered with D.A. Blodgett on their Christmas Wishes program in December to help fulfill the wishes of children this Christmas. Thanks to the generous support from our team, we were able to fulfill 10 kids’ wish lists!

Holiday community involvement

SalesPad employees also spent a couple afternoons visiting and serving at a few local organizations that do great things in West Michigan.

Our team helped pack 800 meals with Meals on Wheels Western Michigan, which were delivered to local seniors. We helped out at Bethany’s Thrift Store putting out Christmas trees, whose sales benefit Bethany Christian Services’ local programs, including adoption, foster care, pregnancy counseling, and refugee resettlement and support services. We also lent a hand at Ronald McDonald House of Western Michigan, getting their shelves ready for holiday donations.

Kids’ Food Basket

Our team helped make sure children in our community have access to nutritious meals by supporting Kids’ Food Basket’s Sack Support Club. SalesPad employees raised donation funds with a pancake breakfast to ensure healthy suppers for kids. We also decorated supper sacks for the meals with positive messages for the kids who benefited from the meals.

Michigan Blood

Many SalesPad employees rolled up their sleeves for a number of blood drives with Michigan Blood held at SalesPad throughout the year. Over five blood drives, our team had 94 successful donations — which resulted in 282 lives saved using our donations.

MiCareerQuest

We love inspiring the next generation of STEM professionals. Earlier this year, we were an exhibiting employer for the MiCareerQuest career exploration experience for more than 9,000 West Michigan middle and high school students in Grand Rapids at DeVos Place.

Grand Circus

This fall, we hosted a Grand Circus Intro to Coding workshop, designed for individuals who are curious about coding, but have little to no experience. Participants learned the programming foundations needed to eventually build a website or mobile app. Our team had a blast welcoming curious learners into our office for an evening of coding.

Grand Rapids Opportunities for Women (GROW)

SalesPad sponsored the Grand Rapids Opportunities for Women (GROW) annual fundraiser luncheon, Seeds of GROWth, in October. Because of event sponsors like SalesPad, 100 percent of individual donations received at the event went directly to supporting West Michigan’s women entrepreneurs.

University of Life 2017

At SalesPad, we believe it’s important to empower the next generation of STEM talent and encourage young women to pursue STEM careers. Over the summer, we sponsored Michigan Women’s Foundation’s University of Life 2017 program, which is a week-long overnight camp at Grand Valley State University that prepares middle school girls (grades six to eight) for success in high school, college, careers, and their community. The program aims to help young women understand how their talents relate to future careers and provides a mentoring experience immersed in entrepreneurship, STEM careers, and leadership. Several of our SalesPad employees volunteered as mentors at the event and had conversations about each girl’s interests in STEM and goals in life.

40th Annual Fifth Third River Bank Run

We’re all about encouraging a culture of health and wellness at SalesPad. In May, we pulled together a group of runners to participate in the 40th Annual Fifth Third River Bank Run in Grand Rapids. The Fifth Third River Bank Run gives participants the option of a 25K, 10K, or 5K race. We had individuals taking part in all three categories (#SPMoves), as well as a 5k dance/walk (#SPGrooves). Those who participated in the dance/walk got their groove on while still completing the 5K Walk. The weather ended up being perfect running weather in West Michigan.

That’s a wrap for 2017!

We have exciting partnerships and events lined up for 2018 and we can’t wait to make an even bigger impact in the new year. We’re very thankful for all of the wonderful opportunities to volunteer this year and contribute to causes that are important to our employees and community.